Articles and Gender in Spanish: A Clear Guide
In Spanish, nouns have grammatical gender, which can be masculine or feminine. This affects the articles and adjectives used with the nouns. Understanding gender is essential for proper sentence construction.
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The rule
The core rule is that nouns ending in -o are typically masculine, while those ending in -a are usually feminine. However, there are exceptions. The definite article 'el' is used for masculine nouns, and 'la' is used for feminine nouns. The indefinite articles are 'un' for masculine and 'una' for feminine.
Articles and Gender at a glance
| Ending | Gender |
|---|---|
| -o | Masculine |
| -a | Feminine |
| -ci贸n | Feminine |
| -si贸n | Feminine |
| -dad | Feminine |
| -tad | Feminine |
| -ma | Masculine |
| -ista | Variable |
Common patterns for guessing gender in Spanish nouns
Examples you can say out loud
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Frequently asked questions
Are there any exceptions to the gender rules?
Yes, there are exceptions, such as 'el d铆a' (the day) which is masculine despite ending in -a.